Document JJpygNEo6pOVVa6RwKm96EYB6

,1- L IA B IL IT Y CALVIN P . R E ID , Ma n a g e r OSW ALD R E IN 'L , A d j u s t e r RALPH E . LOGAN, Ad ju s t e r REFER, PLEASE TO FILE NO. Ethyl G asoline Corp. LIABILITY CLAIM DIVISION 30-42 EAST 42d STR EET NEW YORK, N. Y. ADDRESS ALL REPLIES TO LIABILITY DEPARTMENT CLAIM DIVISION PH O N E 8 1 2 0 MURRAY HILL May 2 0 , 1929, D r. R o b ert A. ICehoe, C ollege of M edicine, Aden & B eth sed a M renues, C in c in n a ti, Ohio. Dear D octor: I h an d you h e r e w ith copy o f l e t t e r I am w a itin g to Thompson, K night, Baker & H a rris and c o p ie s o f th e correspondence I am s e n d in g t o them . CPR-.IH 0011542. c ilay SO, 1929. la s e r s * T h o m so n , iia ig h t , 3a&ea? & H a r r is , D allas, S o sas. . . G entloaan: I think: our l a s t ccEErunlcation to you upon t h i s s u b je c t was d ated A p ril 3 5 , 1039. I non en clo se copy o f a l e t t e r d ated A p ril 29, 1989 from i 'r . K s r s t e d t o f t b s C o n ti n e n ta l O il Gerapony t o 1%. febl}, th e P r e s i d e n t o f o u r a s s u re d and a copy o f J r . Aebb*3 r e p l y d a te d Hay 1 0 th , 1929* I n v iew o f th e scaaowhafc c o n t r a d i c t o r y r e p o r t s o f th o a t t i t u d e o f J&*. l a s h a n d a l s o H e. Dorman, n i r p t I s u ^ j e o t t h e im p o rta a o o t o th e C o n tin e n t a l O il Company o f d e f i n i t e l y a s c e r t a i n i n g how th e s e d o c to r s a r e g o in g to t e s t i f y and upon what they has th e ir o p in io n s. You t r i l l a ls o oh servo th e n a tu re o f th e r e p o r t d a te d H ovaaber 50, 1928 mads by C h ris tia n & P u g att to th e In d u s tr ia l A ccident Board a ttr r o u tin e AcD a n ie ls* c o n d i t i o n t o ^ p o is o n fro m g a s o l i n e " . I t w o u ld b o i n t e r o a t l a y t o 1-mow who m ade o u t t h a t r e p o r t an d w hat a c t ',m l b a s i s t h e r e w as f o r fchoir d ia g n o s is . I t soeras- to rm t h a t C h r is tia n A P u g a tt and th e U n ite d S ta te s f i d e l i t y A G u aran ty Company s a y have a c c e p te d somebody* 3 r a t h e r loos c o n - rx)3srs* thcnpsoa Snig&t* iMcasr & H arris ~ Z ~ May HO, 1939 cjltssioas I xaay gay, by th v:r>y, th a t !r. liehoe i a in p osse3 a ta a f a copy o f il% lia r s tc d t' a l e t t e ? oS tho 29t!i u ltim o . In or&er th a t you stay bo f u l l y infornaci, 1 pei c n e lo s in s baronith tho ollon in s se r ie s o f le tte r a . . L ette? dateci i-iay 1 1 , 1S29 tram. 3% Forco? to ir * Iterasearth -13% Moreton' s l e t t o r o f io y 14, 1989 t o Mr, v.ebb i r . iiobb's ro p ly o f Bay 1 8 , 1939 tir. viobb*o b a tte r o f May 1 8 , 1929 to jso . ilio contento o f thoao Ie tte r strengtke our suaplcion th at C hristian P u g a tt' s d i f f i a u l t i c s aro dm t o sera expoouro not a o o o eia ted v?ith th `xandlina o f o a s o lin o .o f aay typo* Ilio eraouat o f E th yl s a s o lin o wheh tlioso pooplo iandlo io o stra n ely s e d i nbea oaapared to tho c u a n titio s Iiandlod ver a poriod o f our o r f i r o yearo by naay o th er ^ustosuars o f our asolarod . . I t oeoao to no th at t la ostrcibely adviaobl to confor vdth ir hoogh a t aay e a r ly dato and i f in th condltian indicateci in I!r. Faver'a lo tto ? o f th e - llth , that th attom oys for th Continental n ic t t?ant to errangs to lis te Sr* Kehoe aalso a p h y c c a l e;saoiB atio o f th p la l n t if f , asaisaisr; o f eonroe th at th ey esp cot to noe 2 r. Kohoe. l a ony o v a n t, p le s s o n o to th to n e r o f Mr* Webb*s l o t t a r o f th XOth t o ir . X srstsdt. Vary tr u ly ymiro. '* - i Juti i i-jnnaGex*. 'if- c COPY C SOrOTMBMML OIL CO, Denver, Colorado, A pril 29, 1929. Mr.E.u.webb, President, _ Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, ; 2b .Broadway, Set? York c i t y . v s .C o n tin e n ta l O il Co Dear S ir : Your fa v o r o f th e 3rd in s ta n t e n c lo sin g copy o f Dr. Machies r e p o r t, and your fa v o rs o f th e 5 th and 9 th in s ta n t were duly received * On th e 16th i n s t . we had an order en tered by th s t a t e co u rt removing t h i s case to th e U nited S ta te s D is t r ic t Court a t A b ilen e, T exas, Y'e have t h ir t y days from th at date w ith in which to file - tr a n sc rip t o f th e proceedings in the s ta te cou rt w ith the F ed eral Court and have a t l e a s t t h ir t y days a f t e r th e time o f f i l i n g o f th at tra n scrip t w ith in which to f i l e an answer. \ e have req uested our a tto r n e y s , 6 . 3 . Hamilton o f Kirby B u ild in g , D a lla s , T exas, and G.3 .Smedley, Hamilton B uild ing, U ich ita F a lls , Texas, to in v e stig a te the case thoroughly and prepare th e proper p lea d in g and a ls o to give' us t h e ir view s as to th e e n tir e Case. They w 11 be th e ones who w i l l a c t iv e ly handle the t r i a l o f th e c a s e . The ca se w i l l be under th e g en era l su p e r v isio n o f our G eneral a tto r n e y , Ur.Robert D.Hawley, Denver. v:e s h a l l be g la d to have your attorney g e t in touch w ith our attorneys and fu rn ish such a ssista n ce as they can in connection with the defense o f the case. I f your attorney has prepared any b r ie f as to p o ssib le l i a b i l i t y which your corporation or ou rselves m ight be subject? to under such circu m sta n ces, w i l l you k in d ly ask him t o send a copy th e r e o f d ir e c t ly to our General Attorney? We s h a l l be very g la d to have any su g g e stio n s from you a s t o how th e ea se should be handled. In our l e t t e r o f th e 4 th in s ta n t t o you, we s ta te d th a t we understood th a t f lH ^ B M h a d been awarded com pensation under th e Workmen's compen s a tio n Law o f T e x S ^ n t h e ground th a t t h i s in ju r y a rose ou t o f h is employment by C h ristia n Fugatt and th a t t h i s compensation was b ein g paid by th e U nited S ta te s F i d e lit y and Guaranty Company, a s insurer* Our Texas a tto rn ey sw sta te th a t th e p r a c tic e under th e Workmen's Compensation A ct o f Texas, in c a se s such a s t h i s (which p ractice was follow ed in t h is instan ce) i s that th e in d u str ia l Accident Board ta k es no form al a c tio n u n le s s th ere i s a c o n te s t and th ere has been no c o n te s t in t h i s i n ^ m i c e , but the insurance company has been paying th e compensation r e g u la r ly t o l H H H ^ a t th e r a te o f #40.00 per month. Our G eneral A ttorney suggested to o S ^ r ex a s A ttorneys th a t th e award of such compensation m igh t, p o s s ib ly c o n s titu te a r e le a s e o f any cla im w h i c h B l i g h t o th erw ise have had again st u s , on th e theory th at i f there was any p cS s5ff^ L iab i l i t y on th e part o f th a t company i t T?as a j o in t l i a b i l i t y w ith C h ristian and F ugatt and th a t th e general rule is th at a relea se o f one o f the p a rties jo in tly lia b le operates as a r e le a s e o f b o th . The p r e se n t im pression o f our Texas a tto r n e y s , however, i s th a t ' the payment o f compensation in t h is in sta n c e would n o t op erate as a r e le a s e o f any l i a b i l i t y on our p a r t, I t seems to them, however, th a t the u n ited S ta tes F i d e l i t y and Guaranty Company i s a n e c e ssa r y p a r ty to a com plete d eterm in ation o f cr f tM s su it but th ey have agreed with us th at i t ia not advisable ju st at the present time to suggest th is q u estion . One o f our Texas A ttorneys a d v is e s t h s ^ h e had a t a lk v.ith McDaniel*s attorn ey and th a t he expressed th e opin ion th a t su ffe r in g from lead p oison in g and s ta te d th a t both o f the Abi^snejDOctOTsTand p a r tic u la r ly D r.C ash ,told him th a t they were o f th e op in io n th a t p r e se n t c o n d itio n was caused by le a d p o iso n in g . He a ls o claim ed th a t b o t ^ o r t h s s e D octors stand w e ll in th e ir p r o fe s sio n . T hisstatem ent as to Dr.Cfi3h is 'n o t in accordance w ith th e rep ort th ic h '. had from Mr.Davis o f our D iv is io n Manager' s o f f i c e a t W ichita F a lls which was to tho e f f e c t th a t a t th e f i r s t went to D allas fo r treatment Dr.Cash wrote r . Dorman, who rep resen ted the u n ite d S ta te s F id e lit y and Guaranty Company, a l e t t e r in d ic a tin g th a t i t was h is o p in io n th a t th e in f e c t io n was caused by c o n ta c t w ith high t e s t g a s o lin e s . Mr.Davis a ls o s t a t e s th a t Dr.Dorman apparently agreed in tho be l i e f th a t th ere was no r o la t io n between the sk in in f e c t io n and th e a r t h r i t i s and th a t according t o h is l a t e s t inform ation th ere was an improvement so fa r as th e sk in in f e c t io n was concerned , but no co n sid era b le improvement in the a r t h r i t i s . attorn ey s t a t e s t h a t ^ H H M f c i s not improving; th a t he was in A bilene on cn^LGtl^^* in s ta n t but was going fc^PSfurn im m ediately to th e Sanitarium a t D a lla s . 73s have ob tain ed a copy o f th e r ep o rt o f a c cid en t which was made by C h ristia n and Fugatt t o the I n d u s tr ia l A ccident Board under date o f November 3 0 , 1928, and w hich s t a t e s th a t tho a ccid en t occurred to ^ H H H f t o n October 1 7 , 1928, a Wednesday, in the morning, ;md d e sc r ib e s th e a c c id e n t a ^ * p o is o n from g a s o lin e " , and in r e fe r r in g to p art o f p erso n injured s t a t e s " fo r e a m and hands - r ig h t and l e f t " . I t i s a ls o s ta te d in t h e rep ort th a t : ayne R iddle v:as tax eye w itn e ss to th e a ccid en t* I t i s our understanding t hat in s e llin g the Ethyl Gasoline in q u estion to C h ristian and Fugatt we to o k a l l reason ab le p reca u tio n and we do not se e how th ere i s any ground fo r any p o s s ib le l i a b i l i t y on the part o f th is company. I f your attorney has any suggestionsas to the nature o f the de fen ses which should be contained in our answer, our attorn eys w ill be pleased to receive some. convenience Kindly l e t us hoar from you in regard to th is case a t your ea rly Yours tr u ly , E.S.K arstedt M tfjf 0011540 May 1 8 , 19 2 8 . vs. C o n tin e n ta l O il Company lr. -S.S.K arstedt, ITiaG -President, C o n tin e n ta l O il Company, Denver, C olorado. D earer. K arsteati Thank you fo r th e in fo rm atio n contained in your l e t t e r o f t 'ns 2 9 th u ltim o r e g a r d i n g th e above c a s e . :'e a r e s e n d in g a copy o f i t to o u r a t t o r n e y s , Messrs Thompson, K i ^ t , B a k e r'& . H a r r is , o f D a lla s , a su g g ested by y o u , a e have re q u e s te d them to g e t in touch w ith y o u r a tto rn e y s and fu rn is h such a s s is ta n c e as they can. in c o n n e c tio n with, th e d e fe n s e o f th e c a s e . e have suggested to our Texas a tto rn e y s hav in g o u r Dr. Kehoe-- who i s , a s y o u know, in c h a rg e o f o u r m e d ic a l w ork urn i s co n n ected w ith th e U n iv e r s ity o f C in c in n a ti-- go t o D a lla s o r su ch o th e r x la c e i n Texas a a may be th e moat s a t i s f a c t o r y f o r a m e e tin g w ith your a t t o r ne s and ours and p erh ap s some d o c to r o r d o cto rs se le c te d by your a tto rn e y s , f o r the purpose of d isc u ssin g the m edical asp ect of fee case. re b e lie v e - th a t D r. Kehoe h a s had a s m uch, i f n o t more e r p e r ir n c e in r e f e r e n c e to an y h e a lth h a za rd s a s s o c ia te d w ith th e d i s t r i b u t i o n and u s e o f S th y l G a s o lin e , th a n anyone e l s e , and t h a t a c o n fe re n c e such ..a t h a t s u g g e s te d w ould be h e l p f u l . Yours very tr u ly , A :H p4-J' "ebb 0011547 J . L. -aver Mr. M. 'a rn n v /o rti- /11/29 Abi l o n e , T exas L e tto r Ito. 577 Dear S ir: For your in fo rm atio n , I beg to inform you o f a ponding s u it a g a in st th e C o n tin en ta l O i^G ognanv o f ti lls c ity fo r *40,000.00 caused by p o iso n to a Mr. employee o f th e C h r is tia n F r e g it T ir e Company o f E th y ^ M so T E n e 7 T h is em ployee y seans to have g o tten a v ery severe case o f poison from th is flu id and b reak s o u t e v e ry time he comes in c o n ta c t w ith th o g a s o lin e to th e e x te n t th a t h is hands a re drawn in a p i t i f u l c o n d itio n as has been r e p o r te d t o me. S in c e t h a t tim e t h e r e h a s b e e n one o r two m ore esa- p lo y e e s o f t h e f ir m s l i g h t l y p o is o n e d i n th e same m an n er, ,/c have a ls o l o s t th o K ent T ir e Company on t h i s p ro d u c t f e a r i n g t h a t such m ight happen to him and h is em ployees. How a s t o t h e .p ro g r e s s o f t h i s s u i t , I am n o t i n a p o s i t i o n t o s a y , j u s t how f a r M r f lf lH H H P h a s' gone w ith i t b u t do know i t h a s been f i l e d and th o u g h t I sh o u ld a d v ise th e o f f ic e so we could use ev ery re c a u tio n to p ro te c t our in te re s t in th is m a tter. Proa th e rem arks made by Mr. Kent th e re n ig h t be a s im ila r eharge f i l e d a g a in s t u s . I liinic th e re sh o u ld be a c o n tra c t to p r o te c t us in c a se suer, a th in g hould happen. . I would a p p re c ia te h e a rin g from th e G en eral O ffic e re g a rd in g t h i s , so a s t o know j u s t how t o h a n d le su ch a c h a rg e a s t h i s i f I should be confronted w ith th e p ro p o sitio n . Yours very tr u ly , J . L. F av er j<3 d* 001154 a 0pv Texas p a c ific Goal and O il C o., F o rt 'fo rth , Texas. Tay 1 4 , IS2 5 . Tr. K. "ebb, p r e s id e n t , ~thyl G asoline Corporation, 25 Jroadway, row Y o rk , :;.y . ear Tar 1: Sjnclosed h erew ith p le a s e fin d copy o f a l e t t e r re c e iv e d fro n our h u n erin ten aen t of th e Hales Departtnent r e la tiv e to a s u it fo r p o isoning due to th e use of K thyl g a s o lin e . h i l e i do n o t b e lie v e th e re i s a n y th in g to i t , would a p p r e c ia te y o u r a d v is in g u s ..hat 'would be o u r p ro c e d u re sh o u ld s im ila r a c tio n a t any tim e be brought a g a in st u s. K in d ly a c c e p t my th u n k s f o r y o u r l e t t e r r e l a t i v e to th e Yapor phase Cracking p ro c e sse s. i Very sin c e re ly s ig n e d } 2. J . Y a rs to n 00115 cc '* y 18, 1929. h r . 31gar j ;!arstcm , p r e s id e n t, Texas p a c i f i c c o a l l- i l Company, T ort' Orth, Texas. pear gdgar: Thank you fo r tra n a m itta l o f a copy of l e t t e r from r. Paver o f A bilene to r . F arnsw orth dated, th e 1 1 th , vhich .as e n c lo s e d in y o u rs o f th e 1 4 th . I t i s c o rre c t th a t one an employee o f 'h ristian & F ugatt has brought a a u i ^ ig a in s t th e C o ntinental O il Company c la im in g t h a t he was p o iso n e d by th e ha-.a l i n g o f Conoco eth y l G a so lin e . "e h av e had a m ost th o ro u g h e x a m in a tio n made o f t h i s man p r i o r to th e i n s t i t u t i o n o f h i s s u i t and f i n d no c o n d itio n h ic h in `.ho o p in io n o f o u r p h y s i c i a n i s a t t r i b u t a b l e to s th y l G asoline a t a l l . I t i s m ost s in g u la r , you w i l l a d m it, th a t S th y l Gaso lin e has been d is trib u te d in c e rta in se c tio n s continuously fo r six y e a rs and in o th e rs o v er a p e rio d o f f iv e ,, where s e rv ic e s ta t i o n nen have h an d le d i t d r i l y and in l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s , arid no such co n d itio n as th a t m entioned has o ccu rred . Sincerely yours, Aill H.T.WEB3 0011550 c KSIXX it f- o d l i : C0HP0RTI011 25 Broadway Yew Y ork lay 10, 1929. E thyl G asline C orporation -re- ' r . G. P. -.old, 30 E ast 42nd S tr e e t, Eew Y o rk , B. Y . Soar ; r . lieid: Enclosed is a copy of l e t t e r received from r . Edgar I . E a rs to n , p r e s id e n t o f th e Slexas P a c i f i c C oal O il Company, a re fin in g custom er o f o u rs, and copy of l e t t e r fro w ,th e ir h r . Paver a t - Builene, E ex a s, t o Llr. F a rn sw o rth o f t h e i r o r g a n i s a t i o n ; a l s o cop;/ o f ay rep ly . ' . Y u w ill r e c a ll th a t a t th e tim e the B cbaniel com plaint was b ro u g h t to Air a t t e n t i o n i t was re p o rte d th a t th e ro was' a n o th e r em ployee vio h ad been somewhat a f f e c t e d i n a s i m i l a r m a n n er. : ih a t p a r t o f th e l e t t e r from lir , Paver which say s: "S in ce th a t tim e th e re h a s been one o r two more em ployees o f th e f ir m s l i g h t l y p o iso n e d i n th e same m anner.*' . is of course e ith e r u n tru e o r, i f tru e , most s ig n ific a n t. I t is in conceivable th a t E thyl G asoline a f te r i t s d is trib u tio n eontiiiD usly fo r six y ears, except fo r the in te rru p tio n of one y e a r, by the Standard of Indiana in te n m iddle-w estern s ta te s , and by th e u e fin e rs O il Company c o n tin u o u s ly f o r s ix y e a rs in th e s t a t e o f O hio, w here sub s t a n t i a l l y th e same kind o f g a s o lin e base sto e k is u sed w ith which E th y l f lu id i s m ixed, w ith o u t such an untow ard r e s u lt a s th a t in d ic a te d a t C h r i s t i a n 3- F u g a t t ' s p l a c e i n A b ile n e , c o u ld be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h i s s i t u a t i o n . I w onder i f th e re , i s n o t some o th e r c o u rs e -o f p o s s ib le in fe c tio n , e ith e r high te s t g a so lin e o r som ething e ls e a sso c ia te d w ith t h a t p a r t i c u l a r o u t f i t w hich may h av e a f f e c t e d th e s k in o f s e v e r a l p eo p le* h r . P a v e r' 3 l e t t e r in d i c a te s t h a t McDaniel' s em ployer is in th e t i r e b u sin e ss I t may be t h a t t h e r e i s some c o n n e c tio n betw een t h a t b u s in e s s an d th e s k in in fe c tio n re fe rre d to . I only o ffe r th is as a p o s s ib ility . I t seems to me t h e u n iq u e n e s s o f t h e s i t u a t i o n p ro m p ts im m ed iate i n v e s t i g a t i o n by th e in terested parities. Yours very tr u ly , -